Objectives - Momentum and Collisions

The Minds On Physics program consists of 15 modules. Each module covers a different topic and consists of a varying number of assignments. Every assignment addresses one or two objectives. The objectives for the Momentum and Collisions module are listed
below.

Assignment 1:

The student should be able to recognize the definition of
momentum, the units of momentum and the vector nature of
momentum.

The student should be able to identify the mathematical
quantities which effect the momentum and be able to calculate
momentum from mass and velocity.

Assignment 2:

The student should be able to define impulse, indicate its
units and relate its significance to a collision.

The student should be able to calculate the impulse and
relate its value to the momentum change in a collision.

Assignment 3:

The student should be able to identify the effect (or
non-effect) of alterations in the time and the force upon other
collision variables (such as velocity change, momentum change,
and impulse).

The student should be able to identify the effect (or
non-effect) of alterations in the mass and the velocity change
upon other collision variables (such as force, momentum change,
and impulse).

Assignment 4:

The student should be able to extend the law of
action-reaction in order to compare the collision forces,
impulses and the momentum changes of two colliding
objects.

The student should be able to explain the meaning of the
law of momentum conservation and to describe when the law does
and does not apply to a collision.

Assignment 5:

The student should be able to determine a momentum change
and a total system momentum and to state what momentum
conservation means.

The student should be able to use momentum conservation to
determine the final momentum or the initial momentum of an
object involved in a collision.

Assignment 6:

The student should be able to analyze explosions using
Newton's third law and momentum change and impulse principles,
being able to predict the relative force, acceleration,
impulse, and momentum changes of the interacting objects.

The student should be able to use momentum conservation
principles to predict the post-explosion velocity of an
object.

Assignment 7:

The student should be able to compute before- and
after-collision momentum values for a system of objects and
determine if momentum is conserved.

Assignment 8:

The student should be able to utilize the principle of
momentum conservation to solve collision problems for an
unknown pre- or post-collision velocity.

Assignment 9:

The student should be able to utilize the principle of
momentum conservation to solve collision problems for an
unknown pre- or post-collision velocity.

Assignment 10:

The student should be able to use the conservation of
momentum principle to predict the effect of an increase in mass
upon the final velocity of an object.